Filter strainer



Aug 5, 1952 M. c. ROBINSON 2,606,149

FILTER STRAINER Filed Feb. 4, 1947 Alumni/[111m We 'g. 4

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atenteci ug. 5, 1952 U N IT ED STAAT E S PAT ENT O FF [CE1 FILTER S"IR;'IIN]{` Milton C. Robinson, Los-ngeles, Gali. iflpp'li'cation February 4, 1947, Serial'No; '7262399' (Cl. ZIO-24)' QCla-ims. l

The present invention relates toapparatus useful in water softeningand filtering equipment; or similar equipment, in which liquids are treated, and has as a primary object thereof the provision of a novel filter strainer in such equipment.

From the inception of the art of filtering liquids through granular lter media, or chemicalh7 treating liquids by the use of base exchange media, it has been vcustomary practice to support this typeof media upon a different type of media, such as 4beds of crushed rock, stone, pebble gravel, crushed glass or coal, or similar granular substance, the granular substances usually function ing singly or in graded beds, asv a horizontal, loose, unconned layer'or layers of. supporting the firstL mentioned type of media.

Inasmuch as such supporting beds and theA supported medi-a in use become fouled and'intermixed with silt, mud, biological organisms or other substances, cleansing is necessary at periodical intervals; The cleansing process is normally accomplished, at leastin-part, by reversing the normall direction of liquid flow through the two media, the particular cleansing liquid being' either theI same liquid; which is-treated', or in therv case of WaterA softening equipment, may be supplemented bya brine solution. When the supporting or supported media becomes none homogeneous in'. nature as a result, for example, from' irregularv compaction of extraneous'- matter' inlocal areas, non-uniformity ofsizev of granularv particles, excessive velocitiesv of liquid flow; or4 some other mechanical', hydraulic' or chemical cause; areas ofgreater and lesser resistance to liquid flow: occur with tlieresultv that the sup-- porting or supported bed becomes disarranged andl cliannelled thereby to causereduced effi'- ciency'- of operation, imperfect cleansing; and: ffnally loss ofi valuable filtering or baseexchange media.

lAttempts have been made, in thefhistory of the art, to confine the supporting. and thesupportedI media within its tank'or receptacle byf the use off screens, grids; orices, slots, egg crate"baiiles, porous materials and' other expediente;

therebetween, with the result that the cleaning of'such g-ranular particles isimpaire'd Sucli i, attempts although successful to somevl degreeand' resulting in limited satisfactory operation; are notVv entirely satisfactory inasmuch as the granu-PA lar particlesconii'ned bysuchv devices1arenotper--- mitted tomove relative: to one another topro'- i duce a selfcl'eaning, scouring, rubbing action 2f; part, screens, meshes, grids, slots andporousf-materials to prevent` the escape of-lt'ering baseexf change or similar liquid treating media from-'the' outlet ofV the conning tank or receptacle. Such l attempts likewisey have notl proven too successful largely because of? irremovable clogging orerosi'on of the. grid andi slot edges', filling of:` voidsi`n= per* ous. substancesl by reason of' the fact that Sexe' tr-aneous material isheldtool firmly to Abe dis'- l'odged in the'. normal cleansingl operationorfzistool easily passed into ther outlet by'f reasonlof the widening of the strainer openingsf'die to corf-E rosion or erosion.

AV further loss of filtering, base` exchange-or' other liquid treating media, as encountered" in present-day practiceisathatthe lessioccasi'on'edbyI failure toy confine suchI media at'- the operating outlet of itsftankf or receptacle under'conditcns of excessive'v liquid"` flows, orvv at the critical` ratesofv liquid flow which causesvthebed of suchmedia; to expand beyond the limits of freeboard thelfreeboardbeing the unoccupied space in the .tops of suchA tanks orv receptacles provided for ex-pansionof thecontained'media.

It is avfurther' object 'ofthe presentinvention to provide an improved filter strainerinfe'quip-A ment of' the type described wherein the filter, baseV exchange or other liquid treatingJ media is; confined within definite zones -in'thereceptacle arranged inv an approved manner-so asr` to' pr'eventl the l'oss of such media to assurethorough-v cleansing action thereof in the cleansingopera tion.

Still another object of thepresentinventionfisf to. provide animproved Waterv softening"v equipmeritl inA which thef base exchange media andl'tlief filterv media -are definitely localized-in -a common receptacle in an improved? manner suchl that" the porosity ofv the filter "media bed-'is automaticalliJ1 altered upon reversaloffliquid il'ow therethrough:

Another object of' the lpresent invention'- isto provide an.` improvedwater 'treating 'equipmentfof thetype specifiedf inwhichthe component'- con ning elements thereofmayf be easilyu inserted intofand removed fromthe common tank .orme-- Al. further object of the present invention. liis-tbprovide improved*v liquid treating apparatus of1 the type' specified in' which one or lmore? of thevx liquid"l treating or confining media therein either packed or compresseddepending' uporrtli'e direction-of'liquid ibw therethrough; Y

Still a further object ofthe present 'invention is t'o provide improved liquid treatingequip? ment ofthe type specied inwhi'cli'at'least-one:of

3 the liquid treating media therein is denitely localized in such a manner as to allow it to be either packed or expanded depending upon the direction of liquid flow therethrough.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide liquid treating equipment of the type specified in which the rate of liquid flow therethrough is limited in intensity in an improved manner whereby the loss of liquid treating media which otherwise may occur due to maloperation of exterior connections or valves or disarrangement of the supporting beds is prevented.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide improved treating apparatus of the type specified in which the liquid treating capacity for any given sized tank or receptacle is increased by the use of at least one novel strainer which serves to eliminate waste spa-ce and freeboard, thereby allowing such space, which would otherwise be devoid of liquid treating media, to be filled with same to increase the ltering base exchange or other chemical liquid treating action.

Although I have described my invention in association with water softening equipment, it is understood however by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not specifically limited to specific use in water softening equipment, but may find applicability in other liquid treating apparatus such as chlorinators, iron removers, demineralizers, deionizers, adsorbent lters and othel similar equipment.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. This invention itself, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of water or liquid softening or treating equipment incorporating the present invention, certain parts of the equipment being broken away to show the internal construction.y

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional View of the lower retaining strainer in the equipment shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the upper retaining strainer in the equipment shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a modified structure incorporating the present invention.

In the water or liquid softening or treating equipment shown in Figure 1 the normal flow of liquid to be treated is from the inlet pipe I through the upper strainer II, through the base exchange material I2, through the lower retaining strainer I3 and then out the outlet pipe I4 as indicated by the arrows I5 and I6.

The upper and lower retaining strainers I I and I3 respectively contain suitable granular material I1 and I8, such as crushed stone, pebble gravel, rock, coarse sand, crushed coal or glass, or other material of a granular insoluble nature, natural or processed. YThis granular material I1 andA I8 is conned in a novel manner within mutually telescoping cups I9 and 20 and 2I, 22, respectively, which may be formed from meta-1, plastic or other suitable material in such a manner that the coniined granular material is packed and compressed to the correct density by movement of at least one of the cup members of a pair upon iiow of the liquid in the direction wherein such packing is advantageous; and yet whereby upon an opposite movement of such cup occasioned by a reversed fiow of the liquid, the granular material is released from compression and loosened to move and scour adjacent particles and thus thoroughly cleanse.

Referring specifically to the upper retaining strainer II shown in Figure 3, the telescoping perforated cups I9 and 20 are housed within the tubular open end member 24, which has one of its ends in liquid-tight communication with the tank 25. Its other end is closed by the screwthreaded closure member 26 so that liquid pressure may enter from pipe I0 screw threaded ln the tubular member 24, pass through the lter strainer II and then enter the tank 25,

The closure member 26 may be of conventional type having a suitable hand wheel 30 mounted thereon for placing the ring shaped gasket material 32 under suitable compression force to thereby provide a connection of the closure member 26 with the tubular member 24.

The telescoping cups I9 and 20 are mounted for independent relative movement on the centrally disposed spacer bolt 34, whose upper end may be fastened to the closure member 26 and whose lower end passes centrally through the cylindrically shaped perforated cup 20. This centrally disposed spacer bolt 34 has mounted thereon intermediate its ends a pair of retaining collars or nuts 3l and 38, spaced from one another on opposite sides of the upper wall or" the perforated cup member I9 in such a manner as to retain the cup member I9 on the bolt 34.

For certain types of liquid treating equipment nut 38 may be moved from the position shown, if desired, thereby allowing the cup member I9 to have greater or lesser independent relative movement.

Similarly, the lower end of bolt 34 has mounted thereon a retaining nut or collar 40 which serves to retain the cup shaped member 2D on the spacer bolt 34 but yet allows independent relative movement with respect thereto.

The upper retaining strainer II may be removed as a unit by turning the hand wheel 30 to unscrew the closure member 26 from the member 24 and then lifting the hand wheel 30 upwardly at the same time with the cup members I9 and 20 fastened as a unit thereto, or if not so fastened for certain types of liquid treating equipment, to permit removal separately and independently of hand wheel 30.

It is apparent that the retaining nuts 38 and 46 may be adjusted in position thereby to rmly lock the cup members I9 and 20 together so as to prevent relative movement of such cup members I9 and 20 with respect to the spacer bolt 34, or the nuts 38 and 40 may be adjusted in position to allow varying degrees of movement of the cup shaped members I9 and 20 with respect to the stationary supporting spacer bolt 34 when, for example, a liquid under pressure is forced down or up through the filter unit II, as the case may be. Preferably the nuts 38 and 40 are so adjusted that the confined material I'I is packed or tends to become packed when the water or liquid to be softened or treated passes therethrough under` pressure, and a reversal of liquid flow causes the cup shaped members I9 and 20 to movevapart to thereby allow loosening of the granular material I1 and rubbing or scouring action against individual particles thereof by the liquid solution, such as a brine solution or water passing therethrough.

t isalso; apparentthat the retaining nuts 38 and 40 may be adjusted so that the opposite effect may be. produced; i. e., Ypacking of thematerial IT when the water or liquid to he softened or treated. passes therethrough under pressure and. an. unpacking ofthe material I?! When the direction of liquid flow. is reversed. Thisv latter adjustment may be used to advantage when it is desired to limit the rate of liquid ilow through the tank 25 containing the base exchange material I2 in `such instances where, due to mal.- operation of valves or the like, the rate of, now oi liquid otherwisemay be too large.

Thev lower retaining kstrainer' I3 is encased within the tubular housing member i5 which has its upper end in engagement with the pipe I4 screw threaded therein and has its lower end closed by the screw-threaded closure. member 41.

The side wall of` the. housing 45 has openings 4.8 therein to provide a liquid path extending from the interior of the tankl 25 through open.- ings 48, through the lower retaining strainer I3 and through the pipe I4. The telescoping cup shaped members 2l and 22: may be mounted for independent relative movement within the housing i5 or may be. xed in position by adjustment of thev nuts or collars 5e, 5ta and 5I on the centrally located bolt 52. Nuts .itv and 55a `serve to maintain the cup. member ZI in Xed position on theibolt 52.

Preferablyl the ring shaped spacer gaskets 53 and 54V are interposed respectively between the cup shaped member 2l and the housing i5 and between the cupy shaped member 22 and the closuremember di to maintain the retaining strainer I3 in spaced relationship; also to avoid possible shock when the direction of liquid flow is reversed.

It is apparent from the construction shown in Figure 2 that the lower retaining strainer I3 may be removed as a unit from its housing 45 by removing the closure member lil, and, also, in the event that it is found desirable to drain the tank or container, it is necessary only to remove the drain plug 60 which is screw threaded in a central aperture. in the closure member di.

The nuts on 50 and 5I may be adjusted in position in the same manner as outlined above in connection with the nuts or closures 38 and 40. shown in the upper retaining strainer II in Figure 3 to provide either (l) increased compacting of the material I8 when liquid to be treated ows therethrough, or (2.) limiting of the rate of liquid flow through the equipment during the time liquid flows therethrough in the regenerating, cleaning stages, or (3.) locking of. the cui@ shaped members 2i and 2.2V so. as to prevent relative movementtherebetween and also `with respect to the housing member 45..

It is further apparent that the adjustable nuts or collar members 5B; and 5], also 38 and di) in certain instances, may serve as stops to limit relative movement. of the corresponding cup shaped members when the respective lter strainer units are adjusted tojprovide varying degrees of packing occasioned by liquid flow.

In the modication shown in Figuree, the upper retaining strainer I I and thev lower retaining strainer I3 are both coniined within the modie'd tank 25a, the modiiied tubular housing member 2da corresponding to the. tubular housing 24' in the preferred embodiment issupported on. the pipe IIl'a and the lter unit. II is supportedon the spacer bolt Elica, which` has. its, upper end;

6. faste'ne'dto the upper face of the housing inem.-Y ber 24u.,

- Also in the. modification shown in ,Figure `4,. theY housingv member 45a. is screw-theadedly or otherwise supported on the pipe Ma, which in turn is supported on the tank 25 in the sameway that the pipe Illa is supported on the tank 25a.

The housing members 24a, and 45a. are: tubular.

in cross. section and may be of decreasing diameter to allowinsertion, and withdrawal 'throughv the top: opening 65; ofY the tankzla, which is; normally closed in operation by a. conventional. closure memberz. f

The closure. member-616, is pressed against the tank 25a, to form ay liquid tight. connectionbythe. hand operated screw member 66a which. screw'- threrniedlyv engages the. arcuate shaped bracket member 61 having: its ends adjusted to the upper surface ofthe tank. 25a. The. housing members.

'24d and 45a and retaining strainers I,I and I:3

respectively thus. may be withdrawn. from the tank 25a as individual units after unscrewi-ng the pipe I lla; out of the housing member 24a and' after unscrewing the upper pipe section Illa out of the pipe elbow section 7.0., in whichease the individual units may be. Withdrawn through the openingE'.

The exchange, filtering or other Vtreating media may be Zeolite sand, carbon, or other granular or cellulose material used for the treatment of liquids in similar equipment.

The cup members I9, 2.0 and 2|, 22 are preferably of noncorrosive, wear resistant material, such .as stainless steel, although they may be of other metals and materials to achieve. desi-rable results of the. present invention Also AI prefer that at least one of the cup members I9, 20 and at least one of. the cupv members 2l, 22 be movably mounted so as 'to move inv response to reversal of liquid therethrough, and so that the material within the strainer closest toV the eilluentor discharge pipe is under pressure and the material within the other strainer closestv to the inlet pipe is free to` move i'n a larger confining volume.

While the particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departingA from this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and'r modications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

1. In apparatus of the type described', a main tank, a bed of insoluble liquid treating material within said tankgva liquid inlet for said tank,A Ya, liquid outlet forsaid tank, a retaining strainer containing granular material between said liquid inlet` and said liquid treating material forv the passage of' inlet liquid therethrough, and a retaining strainer containing granular material disposed between said Iiquid'treating material in said main tank and' said liquid outlet for the passage therethrough of outlet liquid, each one of said retaining strainers comprising an expansible chamber having relative movable parte whose volume is automatically changed upon relative mov-ement of said parts produced' in responsev to the direction of liquid flow' therethrough to thereby produce packing or allowing expansion of said. granular material depending upon the direction. of liquid` flow therethrough amano terial whereby the ow of liquid is impeded in one direction of flow therethrough and the liquid may freely flow therethrough in the other direction of flow with increased scouring and cleansing action produced by said granular material.

2. In apparatus of the type described, a main liquid treating tank, a bed of insoluble liquid treating material within said tank, a liquid inlet for said tank, a liquid outlet for said tank, a first housing in communication with said liquid inlet and said liquid treating material within said main tank, a second housing in communication with said liquid treating material in said main tank and said liquid outlet, a pair of perforated telescopic members arranged to contain granular material in each one of said first and second housings, each one of said pair of perforated telescopic members comprising an expansible chamber of two relative movable parts whose volume is automatically changed upon relative movement of said parts in response to the direction of liquid flow therethrough to thereby produce packing or allow expansion of said granular material therein, depending upon the direction of liquid flow therethrough whereby the flow of such liquid is impeded in one direction of flow therethrough and the liquid may freely flow therethrough in the other direction of iiow with increased scouring and cleansing action produced by said treating material.

3. In apparatus of the type described, a main liquid treating tank with a bed of insoluble liquid treating material therein, a liquid conduit extending from said tank, a housing member in communication with said tank and said conduit, and a pair of perforated telescopic members arranged to contain granular material Within said housing, said pair of perforated telescopic members having relative movable parts and comprising an expansible chamber Whose volume is automatically changed upon relative movement of one of said parts with respect to the other of said parts in response to the direction of liquid flow therethrough to thereby produce packing or allow expansion of said granular material and confining said granular material to prevent intermingling with said liquid treating material, depending upon the direction of liquid :dow therethrough whereby the flow of such liquid is impeded in one direction of flow therethrough and the liquid may freely flow therethrough in :the other direction of flow.

4. In apparatus of the type described, a main liquid treating tank with a bed of insolublev liquid treating material therein, a liquid conduit extending to said tank, a receptacle having at least two parts mounted in the path of liquid :flow from said conduit to said tank and means mounting said two parts for independent relative movement with respect to one another in response to the directional flow of liquid therethrough, said receptacle being arranged to contain granular material and comprising an expansible chamber whose volume is automatically changed, upon relative movement between said two parts, in response to the direction of liquid flow therethrough to thereby produce packing of said treating material or allow expansion of said treating material and confining said granular material to prevent intermingling with said liquid treating material, depending upon the direction of liquid ilow therethrough whereby the flow of such liquid is impeded in one direction of flow therethrough and the liquid may 8 freely flow therethrough in the other direction of flow.

5. In apparatus of the type described, a main liquid treating tank with a bed of insoluble liquid treating material therein, a fluid conduit, an open ended housing member disposed in the path of liquid flow from said conduit to said tank, a closure member for said open ended housing, and a pair of telescopic members movable one with respect to the other and arranged to contain granular material, said members being mounted on said closure member and extending into said housing, said pair of telescopic members comprising an expansible chamber whose volume is automatically changed upon relative movement of said telescopic members in response to the direction of liquid flow therethrough to thereby produce packing or allow expansion of said granular material and confining said granular material to prevent intermingling with said liquid. treating material, depending upon the direction of liquid flow therethrough whereby the flow of such liquid is impeded in one direction of flow therethrough and the liquid may freely flow therethrough in the other direction of flow.

6. In apparatus of the type described, a main liquid treating tank with a bed of insoluble liquid treating material therein, a fluid outlet, an open ended housing in communication with said tank and said fluid outlet, a closure member for said housing, and a pair of telescopic members, one movable with respect to the other, arranged to contain granular material mounted within said housing, said pair of telescopic members comprising an expansible chamber whose volume is automatically changed upon relative movement of said telescopic members in response to the direction of liquid flow therethrough to thereby produce packing or allow expansion of said treating material and confining said granular material to prevent intermingling with said liquid treating material, depending upon the direction of liquid flow therethrough whereby the flow of such liquid is impeded in one direction of flow therethrough and the liquid may freely flow therethrough in the other direction of flow.

7. In water softening equipment, a main tank arranged to contain base exchange material, a fluid inlet for said tank, a fluid outlet for said tank, and at least one replaceable filter strainer arranged to contain granular material as a unit in the path of water ow, said filter strainer comprising an expansible chamber having two relatively movable parts, whose volume is automatically changed upon relative movement between said parts in response to the direction of liquid flow therethrough to thereby produce packing or allow expansion of said granular material and confining said granular material to prevent intermingling with said base exchange material, depending upon the direction of liquid iiow therethrough whereby the flow of such liquid is impeded in one direction of flow therethrough and the liquid may freely flow therethrough in the other direction of flow with increased scouring and cleansing action produced by said granular material.

8. In water softening equipment, a main liquid treating tank with a bed of insoluble liquid treating material therein, an opening in the top of said tank, a filter strainer arranged as a unit to conne granular material, said filter strainer being arranged to be inserted into said tank through said opening in said main tank, said lter strainer comprising an expansible chamber having two relatively movable parts whose volume is automatically changed upon relative movement between said parts in response to the direction of liquid flow therethrough to thereby produce packing or allow expansion of said granular material and confining said granular material to prevent intermingling with said liquid treating material, depending upon the direction of liquid flow therethrough whereby the ow of such liquid is impeded in one direction of flow therethrough and the liquid may freely ow therethrough in the other direction of flow.

9. In apparatus of the character described, the subcombination comprising, a main housing having a iiuid inlet and a fluid outlet and with a bed of insoluble liquid treating material therein, an expansible chamber within said housing in communication with the interior of said housing and contiguous with said bed, said expansible chamber having two relatively movable parts between which is disposed granular material, at least one of said parts being movable with respect to the other in response to liquid flow through said housing to thereby produce compacting or allowing expansion of said material between said relatively movable parts and conning said granular material to prevent intermingling with said liquid treating material.

MILTON C. ROBINSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 106,530 Fleischmann Aug. 16, 1870 184,024 Stewart Nov. 7, 1876 191,131 Gainey May 22, 1877 1,632,461 Burhans June 14, 1927 1,685,816 Kenney Oct. 2, 1928 1,703,451 McGill Feb. 26, 1929 1,749,622 Yount Mar. 4, 1930 1,839,350 Slagel Jan. 5, 1932 1,917,121 Hughson July 4, 1933 o 2,072,393 Briggs Mar. 2, 1937 2,072,848 Brown Mar. 9, 1937 2,081,968 Wicks et al. June 1, 1937 2,334,802 Zuckerman Nov. 23, 1943 2,364,617 Bosler Dec. 12, 1944 2,412,841 Sprangler Dec. 17, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 17,739 Great Britain of 1905 

1. IN APPARATUS OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED, A MAIN TANK, A BED OF INSOLUBLE LIQUID TREATING MATERIAL WITHIN SAID TANK, A LIQUID INLET FOR SAID TANK, A LIQUID OUTLET FOR SAID TANK, A RETAINING STRAINER CONTAINING GRANULAR MATERIAL BETWEEN SAID LIQUID INLET AND SAID LIQUID TREATING MATERIAL FOR THE PASSAGE OF INLET LIQUID THERETHROUGH, AND A RETAINING STRAINER CONTAINING GRANULAR MATERIAL DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID LIQUID TREATING MATERIAL IN SAID MAIN TANK AND SAID LIQUID OUTLET FOR THE PASSAGE THERETHROUGH OF OUTLET LIQUID, EACH ONE OF SAID RETAINING STRAINERS COMPRISING AN EXPANSIBLE CHAMBER HAVING RELATIVE MOVABLE PARTS WHOSE VOLUME IS AUTOMATICALLY CHANGED UPON RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID PARTS PRODUCED IN RESPONSE TO THE DIRECTION OF LIQUID FLOW THERETHROUGH TO THEREBY PRODUCE PACKING OR ALLOWING EXPANSION OF SAID GRANULAR MATERIAL DEPENDING UPON THE DIRECTION OF LIQUID FLOW THERETHROUGH AND PREVENTING THE ESCAPE OF LIQUID TREATING MATERIAL WHEREBY THE FLOW OF LIQUID IS IMPEDED IN ONE DIRECTION OF FLOW THERETHROUGH AND THE LIQUID MAY FREELY FLOW THERETHROUGH IN THE OTHER DIRECTION OF FLOW WITH INCREASED SCOURING AND CLEANSING ACTION PRODUCED BY SAID GRANULAR MATERIAL. 